Winnipeg Jets defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with teammates, including center David Gustafsson (19) and center Kevin Stenlund (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Nino Niederreiter and Morgan Barron scored second-period goals, Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves and the Winnipeg Jets held off the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Sunday night.
Nate Schmidt scored in the first period and Hellebuyck stopped all 14 shots he faced in the third for the Jets, who improved to 8-3-0 in the second game of back-to-back sets.
Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 19 saves. Victor Hedman hit the post in the final seconds.
Niederreiter’s power-play goal 1:01 into the second period put the Jets ahead 2-1. He picked up the deflection of a shot by Mark Scheifele and tucked it between Vasilevskiy’s pads.
Barron knocked the rebound of Brenden Dillon’s shot into a half-empty net at 9:04; the goal, which made it 3-1, was upheld after the Lightning challenged for goaltender interference.
Killorn gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead 1:19 into the game when his wrist shot snuck past Hellebuyck and barely slid over the goal line. But the Jets got even at 10:15 when Schmidt’s straightaway slap shot from just inside the blue line deflected off Lightning forward Michael Eyssimont and went past Vasilevskiy.
The Lightning received a bench minor for the failed challenge on Barron’s goal, but they pulled within 3-2 at 10:01 on Cirelli’s short-handed breakaway goal. Tampa Bay had three power plays later in the period, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:02, but couldn’t score.
Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos returned after missing the last two periods of Saturday night’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. Winnipeg played without its top defenceman, Josh Morrissey, who sustained a lower-body injury Saturday in a 5-4 overtime win over the Florida Panthers.
UP NEXT
Jets: Complete a three-game trip at Carolina on Tuesday.
Lightning: Play the first of back-to-back games at New Jersey on Tuesday.
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